Downstate Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory GeneBank and Biorepository

Background:

A biorepository stores biological specimens and the data associated with each sample. The biorepository data is then made available to scientific research institutions. A key step to ensure the quality of biorepository data is the collection of the specimens. Ideally, all racial and ethnic populations should be represented in one or more biorepositories to ensure researchers have available to them the widest possible spectrum of human biological data. Unfortunately, in the United States, African Americans are often severely under-represented in biorepositories. In addition, biorepositories often only contain specimens obtained from healthy and physically stable individuals, excluding populations suffering from health issues such as acute cardiac disease.

Technology Overview:

This SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University technology is a database and biorepository that is unique in that it includes: (1) a majority of African American patients, (2) genetic material and DNA, and (3) patients with acute cardiac syndromes. In addition, this database and biorepository includes an extremely detailed collection of clinical, laboratory, demographic and especially angiographic data. One of the major advantages of this biorepository is that it includes DNA, circulating RNA, and protein from all the participants, distinguishing it from many existing databases. The availability of DNA, RNA, and protein from the same patient population allows for more detailed scientific studies and has far broader implications for the development of potential therapies.

Advantages:

•    Contains specimens and data from African Americans, a historically under-represented population in biorepositories
•    Includes data from patients with acute cardiac issues
•    Includes a broad wealth of data for each specimen, making more information available for scientific study

Applications:

The primary application for this technology is to provide human biological data for scientific research.

Intellectual Property Summary:

Know-how based

Licensing Status:

This technology is available for licensing.

Licensing Potential:

This technology will be of value to any company or institution involved in scientific and/or medical research. This includes:
•    Biopharmaceutical companies
•    Research institutions